The present invention relates to a bearing type drag mechanism for a fishing reel, in which a drag force is produced using a rolling member.
In a conventional drag mechanism as a spool braking unit for a double bearing type fishing reel, a drag plate made of a lining material or the like is pushed onto a drive gear on a rotary drive shaft on a handle to apply a frictional resistance to the gear to drag the rotation of a spool, as disclosed in the Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. Sho. 60-7761 or is pushed onto a spool itself to apply a frictional resistance thereto to drag the rotation of the spool, as disclosed in the Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. Sho. 60-156967.
The Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication Nos. Sho. 63-151760 and Sho. 62-164774 disclose a conventional drag mechanism of another type, which is used in a rear drag type spinning reel. In the drag mechanism, a plurality of drag plates, each made of a lining material are pushed to each other between an outer periphery of a spool shaft and an inner periphery of an hollow portion of a reel body to apply a frictional resistance to the spool shaft.
The Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. Sho. 62-64280 discloses a conventional drag mechanism for a front drag type spinning reel, in which a plurality of drag plates, each made of a lining material or the like are pushed to each other between a spool shaft and a spool to a frictional resistance to the spool.
However, these conventional drag mechanisms suffers from the following problems: Since the fishing reels having the conventional drag mechanisms are used under severe conditions under which sea water, sand, garbage or the like is likely to cling to the reels, it is likely that the efficiency of the dragging or braking by the mechanisms is deteriorated, or the drag plates undergo corrosion to decrease in strength or durability to make it impossible to keep a stable dragging function for a long time.